What are some of the better tuners out there?
Since there are some tuner experts online. Do you guys have any opinion on the following 2 units: Accuphase T-101 Super Tuner (MINT)! | Tuners | Audiogon Sansui TU9900 Stereo Tuner For Sale - US Audio Mart Tuner Information Center - Tuner Reviews A-C (fmtunerinfo.com) Tuner Information Center - Sansui Tuners (fmtunerinfo.com) I would like to get a new tuner for my living room. |
Can anyone comment on what I think is an attached antenna on the Sansui TU-9900. I recently got a Magnum Dynalab 108T and love what I am hearing from my favorite station. I want to add a tuner to my living room system and was thinking of a vintage tuner or a lower cost Magnum Dynalab. If the Sansui TU-9900 does have an attached antenna is it able to lock on moderate signals. It would make life easy if I do not need to attach an antenna in the living room area. |
@stereo5 @tablejockey Posting again to send an email notification. |
Some info on Tandberg here. After buying and refurbishing it gets a little pricier than the Accuphase and Sansui I have referenced above. Tuner Information Center - Tuner Reviews S-Z (fmtunerinfo.com) Thanks for all the info. I think I can make a good decision now. |
@tablejockey Thanks for the feedback. I actually have only been looking at buying a new tuner this afternoon. I realized last night that I wanted to listen to my favorite station while in bed with headphones (via a KRELL K-300i integrated). A new tuner replaces the living room unit and my modded Sony XDR-F1HD goes to the bedroom. The Sony is good enough for the bedroom but a little lacking in the living room. Though the Sony has incredible reception. I have a MD Signal Stealth + MD ST-2 antenna (on roof) + MD 108T in the office now and it is extremely enjoyable. I am back to FM listening in a big way now that I have the sound dialed in. |
@stereo5 Thanks for the info. I am checking out the Audio Classics web site now. I am also listening to the MD108T while I am doing this and this unit sounds so good. Much better than the MD102 that I traded in for it. I notice that the sound is a bit better in the evenings. I listen to only 1 station. Audio Classics - MR78 |
I also bought the Accuphase T-101 listed above today (local pickup). The owner is a an Accuphase technical expert and a former Accuphase dealer. So I had a feeling that this guy has some good gear. Turned out I was correct. The unit I picked up sounds closer to my MD108T than the MD102 tuner that I traded in for the MD108T. This really is a Super Tuner. Wow is what I keep telling myself as I listen to crystal clear tunes on the great KCRW radio station. I am posting this because this guy is getting rid of most of his gear and said he had more gear he was going to list. I believe some more tuners will show up. I am listening with the the MD ST-2 antenna located outside my office window on a second floor. I also have an MD Signal Sleuth in the chain. This is the same antenna I use for the MD108T. I am getting another ST-2 antenna and will move the Accuphase to my bedroom system which has the RAAL SR1a headphones. |
I thought I would update this thread with my thoughts on the Accuphase T-101 compared to my brand new MD108T. I used the same antenna, located in the same spot, along with the MD Signal Sleuth on both and had the same perfect reception. I was going crazy on the past with my MD102 that was not picking up the station I liked (likely needed an alignment). The station broadcasts from Santa Monica, 100 miles away, and re-transmits from Santa Barbara, with the transmitter likely 15 miles from where I am located. I do not seem to suffer from Multipath issues, likely because I am in a residential area near the ocean. The Accuphase is SS but has a very tube like sound to it. A very relaxing sound, but the details seem to be there in the music. The soundstage is huge and imaging was great. These were all much better than the old MD102 which cost me $2500 in 2005ish. The MD102 did have sharper outline in the images. However, overall the much cheaper Accuphase is an easy winner since the music sounds more engaging. This is not a stock unit and has been optimized by the seller. The MD108T uses tubes but it sound less tubey than the Accuphase T-101. The MD108T sounds less warm than the T-101. Compared to the MD102, it has a bigger soundstage, better imaging, and just better sound. The increased clarity on the MD108T over the Accuphase T-101 gives it top rung on the tuner hierarchy in my house but the T-101 is incredible for one 7th the cost. I can see how the folks on fmtunerinfo.com select gear like the Accuphase over the MD108T. The likely prefer the warmer tone of the vintage tuners. In a few days the Sansui 9900 gets delivered to me. It was recently refurbished by these guys. Vintage Stereo Restorations | Sansui Repair ~ QRX-9001 Repair ~ Specializing in QRX-9001, 9090, 9090db and the Sansui QRX line (qrxrestore.com) The reason I am getting all of these tuners is that the station I listen to has some of the best music I have ever heard and I am hearing them for the very first time. Music from all over the world, all years, and all genres. I want a tuner for each of my systems. |
What are some of the best tuners out there? I now have the following 4 tuners. 1) Magnum Dynalab MD108T (just incredible) 2) Sansui TU9900 - this unit was recently recapped and cleaned up. It sounds so nice in my downstairs system. Way better than my Sony xdr-f1hd (modified by the XDR guy). 2) Accuphase T-101 - this unit was cleaned up by the guy who sold it to me and is an audio engineer. I posted a link above somewhere. This unit is also amazing. 4) Sony xdr-f1hd - not going to use this one now. I will keep it around since it is pretty good and very small. I cannot believe how good these almost 50 year old (cleaned up) tuners sound. Incredible bargains for a person like me who now does most of my listening on the FM dial. |
